John Lewis stores let you buy a gadget, get half a year of free broadband

@ 2013/04/19

Retailers will try any number of stunts to get our feet in the door when they've got inventory to clear or services to push, whether they're offering straight-up discounts or giving away devices. UK retailer John Lewis would really, really like us to try its home broadband, so it's trying a related yet uncommon strategy: buy an internet-capable device by April 15th, 2014 and John Lewis will supply half a year of broadband for free, even at fiber optic speeds. As always, though, there's an asterisk at the end. Would-be customers need to sign up for a year-long service contract to qualify, so they'll be paying between £25 to £39 per month ($38 to $60) for at least another half-year. We doubt many will shift their laptop or tablet purchases just to get cheap data, but the promo may tip the balance for those experimenting with internet providers or wiring up a new flat.